The present disclosure relates generally to thread locks that can be used with or incorporated into bolts, latch and hinge assemblies or other devices having a threaded aperture. The thread locks disclosed herein are particularly useful in animal confinement applications.
Animal confinement structures are often used to house and/or contain farm animals. Typical animal confinement structures are constructed with gating or fencing and flooring so that animal waste falls through the slatted flooring. In order to connect the slatted sidewalls to the slatted flooring, fasteners are positioned below the slatted flooring and receive a corresponding fastener bolt through a slat opening. Other similar structures are used to contain multiple animals at a time. In both animal crates and other containment structures, latches and hinges are frequently used with gates to provide access in and out of the structure. Known latches and hinges are typically welded to the structures on which they are positioned, which is generally a time consuming and expensive process that needs to be completed by a skilled laborer. In addition, once installed, such latches and hinges cannot be easily replaced or adjusted. Many known latches and hinges are also insufficient as they can sometimes be opened by the animals and can inadvertently remain in an unlocked position after opening.
The present disclosure addresses problems and limitations associated with the related art and has applications in other fields of technology that will be apparent in view of the disclosure.